Josh Radnor demonstrates his writing/acting/directing talents (with Kate Mara) in HappyThankYouMorePlease.
Josh Radnor (How I Met Your Mother) made his screenwriting and directorial debut at the Sundance Film Festival with his film HappyThankYouMorePlease.
This trio of intertwined stories involving six New Yorkers dealing with the complexities of love, friendship and identity. While this premise may sound familiar, its charm is refreshing and its character keeps the film from becoming just another romantic comedy.
The main story focuses on Sam Wexler, a struggling writer (Radnor ), who, during a particularly bad day when he encounters a young boy (played by the adorable Michael Algieri) who’s been separated from his family. When the boy reveals that he is unhappy in foster care, Sam decides to bring the boy back to his apartment, and a unique friendship begins to develop between the two. This friendship both initiates and complicates Sam’s romance with a beautiful cabaret singer named Mississippi (Kate Mara).
The second story involves Sam’s best friend, Annie (Malin Akerman). Annie has alopecia, which is a condition that prevents her body from growing hair. This could have easily been a cheesy addition, where a beautiful woman faces difficulty in courting deserved male affection. However, this is not the case. Instead, Radnor has portrayed Annie as a strong, intelligent woman who is coming to terms with her baldness in a very endearing way. Basing the character on a real-life friend living with alopecia, Radnor has developed a character who is genuine and Akerman embraces that notion with an equally sincere performance. Note: this story also involves a notable performance by Tony Hale (Arrested Development) as one of Annie’s potential suitors.
Malin Akerman gives a strong performance as Annie, who struggles with commitment and her own self-image.
The third story involves Sam’s friends Charlie (Pablo Schreiber) and Mary Katherine (Zoe Kazan). Feeling their relationship is being tested as life pulls them in separate directions, they agonize over the idea of moving to Los Angeles. The chemistry and performances between Schreiber and Kazan is natural and exposed, lending to some of the best scenes in the film.
It’s very clear that Radnor cares deeply for his characters and has shaped them affectionately. Each character displays moments of vulnerability and exposure that give a sense of history and moments that have defined them.
It is a film about gratitude, the acceptance of love, and the absence of cynicism. If this sounds corny or clichéd to some, I ask: when did accepting the good things in life become over-rated? Thank you, Josh Radnor, for reminding us that while life (and love) can be messy and complicated, it is ultimately rewarding.
What are your expectations for Radnor as he experiments beyond his work on HIMYM?